Improvement in sig-nat-lantehns



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Letters .Patent No. 96,637, dated November 9, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN' SIG-NAL-LANTERNS.

The/Schedule referred to in thse Letters Patent and making vpari'. of the same.

To all whom it may concern :A

Be -it known that I, 'DAVID TODD, of the city of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, hare invented certain new andv useful vImprovements in Signal-Lamps, of which the following is 4a full, clear, and exact' description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making part of this Figure 4 is a view of a frame in which the slide' moves.

The invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the convenience and` tallic trarne-work. The fourth or backside constitutes a door, hinged and securedin the usual manner.

The glass at the sidesv is covered by thin sheets of metal, so arranged as to slide up and down at pleasure, these sheets serving to protect the glass from breakage when iu ordinary use as a signal-lamp, while, at the same time, by simply withdrawing them, the lamp mayv be used for illuminating-purposes, a's required.

B is a cone, the mouth or front end of which occupies nearly the whole front of the lamp.

At the rear cud of this lcone is placed a slide, D, carrying small pieces of .diiierent-coloied glass, d (l d.

It is provided with a handle, D', and also with slots d' d.

This slide moves vertically in a frame, K, composed of two grooved nprights, connected at their lower ends by a rib or tie, and provided at their upper ends with elastic tongues k k, serving to keep said frame from being lifted out of place, as shown in dotted lines, fig, l, t-he fiume itself keeping the'slide in a proper .relaf tion tothe cone B, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

This slide is held at any desired vel-tical elevation, by means of the spring thumb-latch E, the spur e of which enters the slots d' d.

F is the oil-reservoir, provided wit-h the usual cranksocket and tube, of such height that the ame f shall stand immediately in rear ofthe inner opening of the cone B.

form I on the bottom of the lamp, by flanges o r lips projecting from'its lower surface, engagirig with similar lips on the upper surface of said platform, in such a manner that it, the re'sevoir, can be readily withdrawn from the back side .of the lamp, for the purpose of lli ing or cleaning, accidental displacement being prevented by thc frame K, passing through the socket F', and a corresponding opening inthe platform I.

G is a concave reflector, attached to the inside of the door, of the usual material and form.

f1 is a chimney, and H' achimney-cap, neither of which needs any specific description.

The operation of my lamp is as'follows: VVheu the wick is lighted and the door closed, the reflector G concentrates the-light upon the glass coveriug; the inner end of the cone B thereby illuminating the entire inner surface of said conc, wit-h the same color as the glass itself, and makingthe lamp, at u short ldistarce, as cifcctlve as though the outerfaoe of the lamp were colored, while, --by simply shifting the slide IMI-am able to produce three or more dit; ferent colors upon the same front, and a much stronger light, from the fact that' I get the benefit of the re flector G, which -mustbe dispensed with in the ordinary construction.

In constructingr this lamp for usel as a switch-lamp, it may have four cones; that is, one upon eachl of its sides, two red and two green, arranged in pairs, that is, the red at opposite sides, and the green at alternate sides; 'or the different bits of glass may be arrangedv in cylindrical form, in rows two or three high, adapted to be revolved; then, by iuterposing an opaque screen either' in front of or in rear of the cone, so as to darken it while such of th colors as it is not desired to show were passing, any desired succession may be attained Another', and perhaps `the easiest manner of producing a great number of changes and combinations in colors, is this: A number of slides may be readily carried in the. lamp, bysimply setting them down into the body of the lamp `through slots or perfor-ations in the top. 1n this respect, it has a very great advantage overany other lamp ever invented.

By simply removing the sliding doors, and, if de*l sired, the cone and slide, an illuminating-lamp may be easily produced, as the concis made removable for that' purpose. v y

It will be observed that' the apeitnre F, through the reservoir F, not only provides for the' passage of the slide D, but also vserves to admit va current of air constantly between the flame of the lamp 'and the glass in the slide D. This tends toprevcnt said glass from becoming unduly heated.

In order to take out the reservoir, it is necessary to remove the slide D and frame K K. 4

This latter can b'e readily taken out by compressing the springs K K snmciently to bass-them through the v3. The latch E, in combination with the slide opening iuf'fne top of lamp, through which the slide 4. The flume K, operatil'lg as set forth.

moves.

u Having thus described the construction and opei'a'- forth. t

tion of my lump, 6. The Vreservoir F, provided with the aperture F',

Whut'l claim as nw, a.nd wish to secure by Letters as set forth.

Patent., is- DAVID TDD.

1. The slide D, constructed as set forth. Witnesses: 2. Tile coneL B, in combination with the Slide D, WILLIAM PORTREOUS,

Aarranged and operating :is set foi-th. J As. T. EASTON.

5. The platform I, provided with a slot, a's set 

